County Legal

This office handles legal issues facing the County including drafting ordinances, leases, deeds, rights of way and any other legal matters.

Senior Staff Attorney, Michael Frue

Michael Frue is the Senior Staff Attorney and serves as a legal advisor to the Board of Commissioners. Mr. Frue is an Asheville High School graduate and earned his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Juris Doctorate degree from Campbell University School of Law. Mr. Frue joined Buncombe County Government in 2000 as the Tax Attorney for the County’s Tax Office handling tax foreclosures, Board of Equalization and Review and NC Property Tax Commission matters. In 2005, Mr. Frue became the Associate County Attorney for Buncombe County and was appointed Senior Staff Attorney in 2013.

Prior to joining Buncombe County, Mr. Frue was self-employed as a local attorney focusing primarily on residential and commercial real estate, estate and probate and civil litigation matters. Mr. Frue is a member of the 28th Judicial District Bar for the State of North Carolina and a member of the North Carolina Association of County Attorneys.

Hours of Operation:

The Legal Department endeavors to maintain hours of operations Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., which is the same as most County departments other than those which are required to maintain round the clock operations due to emergency type functions.

It is impossible, however, to always maintain this schedule since the attorneys are frequently required to be out of the office for court appearances, conferences, depositions, and various tasks which require their presence elsewhere. Therefore, voice mail is available and calls are returned promptly.

Functions

The Legal Department advises and represents the County in all legal matters except in situations where certain County departments have their own counsel and unusual situations where it is determined to be in the best interest of the County to retain outside counsel.

The department’s work typically includes, but is by no means limited to, real property condemnation, land use regulation, property taxes, tort claims both by and against the County, environmental litigation, and employment matters.

The department does not represent nor give legal advice to citizens about private disputes or problems, but will endeavor to provide information and assistance in response to citizen inquiries concerning County ordinances or matters in which the County is a party or in some way directly involved.